There can be only one WJ0001 Jets fan

True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Winnipeg Jets, say the organization will be auctioning off the rights to buy and register Jets plate number WJ0001, with the proceeds going to the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation. (Ross Romaniuk, Winnipeg Sun files)

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Everyone thinks they’re the No. 1 Jets fan, but only one person will have the licence plate to prove it.

As thousands of Manitobans scrambled last month to snap up Winnipeg Jets vanity plates with birth years, hockey numbers or other significant digits, the plate with perhaps the premium number of all was quietly set aside.

Soon, someone will get the chance to own plate number WJ0001.

Scott Brown, a spokesman for True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Jets, confirmed the organization will be auctioning off the rights to buy and register that plate, with the proceeds going to the Winnipeg Jets True North Foundation, the NHL team’s charitable wing.

The process, details, and timeline for the charity auction have yet to be determined, Brown said.

The Jets plates, which became available in mid-December, have already raised more than $700,000 for the foundation. The plates cost $70, with $30 going to the foundation, $30 to MPI, and $10 to the province.

An initial batch of 20,000 was eaten up within days, so Manitoba Public Insurance released a second batch of 5,000 on Dec. 23. As of Monday, there were about 1,300 left, said Brian Smiley, a spokesman for MPI.

“If the Jets request more, we’ll sit down and chat with them. It depends on what the market wants. This isn’t a limited run, but those discussions haven’t taken place yet,” Smiley said.

About half the initial batch of plates were numbered WJ0001 to WJ9999; the rest of the plates simply began with a “J.” The Jets were given numbers WJ0001 to WJ0450 to sell to True North staff, coaches and players.

However, the team held back plate No. 1 to auction off for charity.

The foundation, formerly called the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation, funds Manitoba-based charities that focus on healthy living programming for youth. The foundation raises funding through everything from celebrity golf tournaments to the 50/50 draw at Jets games.